Sakura's Next Challenge
by Heavenly Ice
Summary: Everything was going just fine...All the cards were captered, Madison got Li and Sakura together at last, Tori and Julien have girlfriends, but something's not right...it's up to Sakura to make it right.


Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura or any of the original characters. The other characters are mine. I made them up one day when I was insanely bored. Please don't sue me I don't really have much. If you do decide to sue me, don't expect to get much more than a few dollars and some change. Well, hope you enjoy this fic. ^_^  
  
Sakura's Next Challenge  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Li!"  
  
"Uh-oh."  
  
"Who's that?" Sakura asked.  
  
"My cousin."  
  
"You're cousin?"  
  
"Uh-huh. She just arrived from Hong Kong a couple of weeks ago. She's older. A lot older and she treats me like a kid a lot."  
  
"Oh, kind of like my brother treats me rotten?"  
  
"No, not exactly, she doesn't call me names."  
  
"Li Syaoran, get in here now!"  
  
"She likes to boss me around."  
  
"Wow. Sounds like she's trying to be like a parent then."  
  
"Yeah, I guess. She knows about the cards and Clow magic and everything that went on before."  
  
"I guess the whole Syaoran family knows about magic then?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Li Syaoran! Get in here! It's time for you to do your homework."  
  
Li sighed. "I'm coming! See you, Sakura."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Don't you have your own homework to do as well?"  
  
"Oh, Kero. I will as soon as I get home."  
  
"And when will that be?"  
  
"Soon. Don't worry."  
  
Meanwhile, back at the Syaoran residence…  
  
"Li, you are spending entirely too much time with that girl."  
  
"But she's my friend and I had to help her capture the cards."  
  
"But you don't have to anymore. Am I right?"  
  
"Yes, but-"  
  
"No more buts about it. You don't have to help her capture anymore cards so therefore you have more time to do your homework."  
  
"But, Rea! I have to help her with the cards. I have to help her figure them out. She still doesn't know what she's doing yet."  
  
"She has Keroberos, the guardian beast of the seal and Yue as well, right?"  
  
"Yes she does, but they-"  
  
"They can help her for now. And you can do your homework."  
  
Li growled.  
  
"Don't growl at me. You know you have to finish your homework."  
  
And with that she left, leaving Li to finish his homework. But instead, he stared out the window, thinking to himself. 'Sakura…'  
  
Sakura sat in her room, trying to finish her homework, but couldn't. She was thinking of all of her friends that she made while capturing the Clow Cards, and even after. Madison, who was her best friend, also made the costumes that Sakura wore to capture the cards and tried to tape every one of the captures on her video cameras. Kero was the guardian beast of the seal to the Clow Book and helped her capture the cards to reseal back into the book, he also helped her build up her powers. Li had come from Hong Kong and was a direct descendant of Clow Reed himself. Li also helped her capture the cards and to get out of danger. Meilin was Li's cousin, also from Hong Kong. Li was her favorite cousin so she never really liked Sakura in the beginning, but soon warmed up to her. She also helped with the Clow Cards a little, even though she had no magical powers. Then there was Julien, her older brother's best friend. Tori and Julien were always together and Sakura had liked him at first but things changed. Julien had become Yue! The one who performed the Final Judgement and decided who the new master of the Clow Cards would be. The master of the cards was now Sakura. Tori, her brother, had known about spirits and magic at that time somehow, but wound up giving his powers to Yue to help protect Sakura. He may have picked on his little sister, but he loved her very much. He also had a girl friend now. Ms. Mackenzie was their math teacher for a year and knew everything about Clow Magic, she too helped Sakura and the others on their journey. Eli, Ruby, and Spinner, now there were some strange characters in the beginning. Eli was actually Clow Reed reincarnated and tested Sakura and her magic. He tested the others too, but not like he tested Sakura. He wanted to see how well she used the cards. Ruby and Spinner were his helpers and were much like Yue and Keroberos. The Clow Cards were no longer Clow Cards but Sakura or Star Cards.  
  
"Hey! I thought you were supposed to be doing your homework, squirt."  
  
"Ah, Tori. I am, I was just thinking about something."  
  
"You were thinking about that kid again, weren't you? You still spend too much time with him. And I still don't like him, Sakura."  
  
"Tori, you haven't liked him since the beginning. You know he helped me with the cards."  
  
"Yeah, but…"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Nothing. I thought I saw something."  
  
"Huh? Where?" she asked, looking out her window.  
  
"It was nothing, squirt."  
  
"Tori…"  
  
Tori left Sakura to finish with her homework. But she still couldn't.  
  
"Dinner time!" shouted Mr. Avalon.  
  
"Coming! Kero, stay here. You know the drill."  
  
"Of course. I stay here and you bring me food. But remind me again why I have to stay in here. Your brother knows about me."  
  
"Yeah, but dad doesn't. I don't want to scare him."  
  
"Ah, I see. All right. I'll stay here then."  
  
"Thanks, Kero."  
  
"Dinner was great! I'm going to finish my homework now."  
  
"With dessert?" her father asked.  
  
"Um, yeah. I was going to eat it while I finished." Sakura smiled as she went up the stairs.  
  
"All right."  
  
Sakura went up to her room.  
  
"Pudding! My favorite!" Kero said.  
  
"You only get half this time. I want some too." Sakura said.  
  
"Oh, alright. You're no fun."  
  
The phone rang. Someone picked it up. Then a knock at her door.  
  
"Hey, squirt, phone for you."  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"I don't know. Dad picked it up."  
  
"Alright. I've got it."  
  
Tori closed the door.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Madison! Hi. What's up?"  
  
"Oh nothing. I was just wondering since tomorrow is the start of break, if you wanted to go somewhere."  
  
"Sure, I'd love to. But to where?"  
  
"It's a surprise."  
  
"A surprise for me?"  
  
"Yeah. I'll come to pick you up tomorrow at nine."  
  
"Alright. I'll be ready."  
  
"Okay. See you."  
  
"Bye."  
  
'A surprise just for me? Wow! I wonder what it is. It's from Madison so it'll be great whatever it is.'  
  
"Hey, I thought you wanted some of this."  
  
"No, you can have it Kero."  
  
"Whoa! What's with you? You're acting weird. First you say you want some and now you don't. This is weird."  
  
"I'm fine Kero. I'm just thinking. Madison has a surprise for me tomorrow. She's taking me somewhere and it's a surprise."  
  
"Oh. I like surprises. Well, when they're good surprises."  
  
Sakura smiled at her little friend.  
  
"Hello. Is Sakura ready?"  
  
"I'm coming!" Sakura shouted as she came down the stairs.  
  
"There you are. Come on or we're going to be late."  
  
"Late? For what?"  
  
"It's a surprise. Remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah. I forgot." Sakura smiled at Madison. Sakura and Madison left in a limousine. "Li! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm…leaving after break."  
  
"You're what?"  
  
"He's leaving, Sakura."  
  
"No. Why? What for?"  
  
"My cousin thinks it'll be best if I went home for while."  
  
"Was this the surprise, Madison?"  
  
"No. I'm taking you two somewhere. It's a surprise for both of you. Li doesn't know where we're going either."  
  
Sakura looked at Li. He shook his head. They were all silent for the rest of the ride, even Kero was quiet. No matter how much he said he didn't like Li, he did like him and didn't want to see him go either. They reached their destination and got out of the car.  
  
"This is beautiful. Wow! Why did you bring us here, Madison?" Sakura said.  
  
"I think both of you know why." Madison smiled. "I'll see you two later." She got back into the car, pulling Kero back in by his tale.  
  
"Hey! What was that for?"  
  
"Kero, I want them to be alone for this. They need to confess their feelings for each other before Li leaves."  
  
"But won't it be awkward at school after this?"  
  
"Nope. This week is break. They'll have all week to work things out."  
  
Sakura walked farther into the trees.  
  
"I wonder why Madison brought us here. Don't you, Li?" Sakura turned around and looked at him.  
  
"Uh-yeah." Li started blushing. He had been watching Sakura walk. He was thinking how nice it would be to hold her in his arms. Sakura might have been a cute little girl back in elementary school, but now she was growing up to be a beautiful young lady. Li was no exception, he was growing into a handsome young man. They were in Jr. High now. Almost adults. And Li had a crush on Sakura. Or was it more like he loved her. They had been through a lot since the first time they met during the capturing of the Clow Cards.  
  
'I admit, I thought, when I was younger, that I liked Julien. He was a nice guy and all, but he's Yue, even now. I think all that drew me to him was the magical powers that I felt coming from him. Now, Julien is just a thing of the past. Sakura's the one now.'  
  
"I'm the one what, Li?"  
  
"Uh…um…uh…The…master of the cards." He hadn't realized that he said those last words out loud.  
  
"Of course I am. I have been ever since the Final Judgement."  
  
"Yeah." He had to do it. He had to tell her how he felt about her. "Sakura?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I know why Madison brought us here and left us alone."  
  
"Oh. Why?"  
  
"I think you know why too, Sakura. You just don't want to say anything. But I think it's about time one of us does so I'm going to say something." He took a deep breath. "Sakura…I like you."  
  
"I like you too, Li. You're my friend."  
  
"No, Sakura. I mean I like you." Li sighed when he saw Sakura's blank look. "I thought you would know why we're here, but I guess not."  
  
Sakura blinked. She finally realized what Li was telling her. He liked her. Not just as a friend. He loved her. He was trying to say that he loved her. "LI!" She ran to him and hugged him. "Oh, Li." She buried her face in his neck. He wrapped his arms around her after he realized what had happened.  
  
"Sakura…"  
  
Sakura lifted her face from his neck. She was crying and smiling. "Li…I love you, too."  
  
Li smiled. He leaned down and kissed her.  
  
"Oh, isn't that so cute and sweet? I knew they could do it." Madison said as she saw the two walking hand in hand.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Confess and get together. Finally. I was getting tired of watching them look at each other when they think the other isn't watching."  
  
Kero sighed. "I didn't get you guys when you were kids and you're even more confusing when you're teenagers. I'm never going to get used to you guys, am I?"  
  
"Probably not, Kero."  
  
"That's what I was afraid you were going to say."  
  
"Sakura?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What is you're brother going to think?"  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"Us."  
  
"Oh. I don't care what he thinks."  
  
"He doesn't like me very much."  
  
"I know. But he can learn to live with the fact that we're together as a couple. Not just friends anymore."  
  
"Well, if you don't care then I don't care either."  
  
Sakura smiled.  
  
"Hi, Julien." A girl came up behind him and hugged him.  
  
"Oh, hi, Lynn."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing, I've just been feeling strange lately."  
  
"Strange? Why?"  
  
"I don't know. It just started recently."  
  
"Maybe you need to rest."  
  
"I don't think I need rest. I've been sitting here the whole time."  
  
"Hum, maybe you should see a doctor."  
  
"I don't think it's that serious. I'll be fine." Julien got up and started walking away.  
  
"Julien…"  
  
Then Julien fainted.  
  
"Julien!" Lynn shouted as she ran to him. She reached him just as he was about to hit the ground. She was holding him in her arms when Tori came running out.  
  
"I saw you holding Julien. Is everything all right?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know. I was talking to him, asking him if he was okay. He told me he was fine and walked away, then he fainted. I'm scared, Tori."  
  
"It's okay, Lynn. Don't worry. Julien will be fine. He just needs some sleep." 'Julien, what's wrong? Is it something with Yue?'  
  
Sakura's house  
  
"Did you sense that, Kero?"  
  
"Sure did."  
  
"What was it?"  
  
"Not sure. It's new."  
  
Just then the phone rang.  
  
"Hello? Avalon residence."  
  
"Sakura, did you feel that?"  
  
"Yeah. Do you know what it was?"  
  
"No. It wasn't anything that I've ever felt before."  
  
"Should we get together and find out what it was?"  
  
"Maybe. But I'm not sure. I only felt it for a minute."  
  
"Me too. This is strange."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm home!" Tori shouted from downstairs.  
  
"I have to go, my brother's home. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Okay. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Sakura was waiting for Li to say it. He didn't really say that he loved her a few days ago, but she knew he loved her. She just wanted to hear him say it, just once.  
  
"Who were talking to, Sakura?"  
  
"Uh, nobody."  
  
"Hm…it was him again, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Sakura, you know I don't like him."  
  
"I don't care, Tori. I'm growing up, you can't boss me around anymore."  
  
"Oh? And why are you being so defensive all of a sudden?"  
  
"Uh…no reason."  
  
"Sakura."  
  
"I'm going out with Li."  
  
"You're what? No way, I'm not going to have you dating that kid!"  
  
"Tori, you're not the boss of me. I'm growing up, I can make my own choices. I don't care if you like him or not. I don't care what you think. I love Li!"  
  
They both stood there in shock.  
  
"What did you just say?"  
  
"I love Li Syaoran."  
  
"Well, I guess there's no stopping you, Sakura. You are growing up. I had a girlfriend when I was your age, too."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, but you know how it is. Big brother always watching out for little sister, making sure her heart doesn't get broken by some creep guy."  
  
"But Li's not a creep, Tori. We love each other and we've known each other since we were little kids."  
  
"That's true. I guess you can go out with him, but I'm not going to like it much."  
  
"Thanks, Tori. I know you're only doing this because you love me."  
  
"Yeah, whatever squirt."  
  
The phone rang again.  
  
"Hello? Avalon residence."  
  
"Hi, is Tori home?"  
  
"He's busy right now."  
  
"Alright. Can you tell him Lynn called?"  
  
"Oh, Lynn? Let me go get him then. Hold on a moment."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Sakura went to get her brother.  
  
"Tori, phone for you."  
  
"I'm busy."  
  
"But it's Lynn."  
  
"…OH!" Tori ran down the stairs and took up the phone. "Lynn?"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I think you should come over."  
  
"I'm on my way. I'll be there in a few minutes."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
'I hope you're all right, Julien. Please be all right.'  
  
"Tori, where are you going?"  
  
"I'm going to Julien's."  
  
"Can I come?"  
  
"I don't know about that." Tori thought for a moment. "Yeah, come on. You may be of some help."  
  
"Julien, please wake up." Lynn cried.  
  
Tori entered the house.  
  
"What's wrong, Lynn?"  
  
"He won't wake up, Tori! What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know. I brought Sakura with me to see if she could help."  
  
"What can she do?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
"Julien…" Sakura whispered. "What's wrong, Julien?" She closed her eyes and put her hands on Julien's arm. She was still and silent for a few moments. Her eyes shot open suddenly. "It's Yue!"  
  
"Yue? What about him, Sakura?"  
  
"He's in trouble. Something's happening to him. Something strange is going on here."  
  
"What is she talking about?" Lynn asked.  
  
"Oh, that's right. You don't know."  
  
"Don't know what? Tori, tell me."  
  
"Have you ever heard of Clow Reed and the Clow Cards?"  
  
"Yeah. Clow Reed died a long time ago."  
  
"That's right. Well, Sakura is the new master of the Clow Cards. Yue and Keroberos are her loyal protectors. Julien is Yue's earth form. He stays in this form to conserve energy."  
  
"So, he's not really my cousin?"  
  
"No, he is your cousin, but he is also Yue. Do you get it?"  
  
"Yes, I actually do get it."  
  
"You have magical powers." Sakura said to Lynn.  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
"I can sense it."  
  
"Wow! You must be a very good magician to sense other's magical powers."  
  
"Yes. But I wasn't always this strong."  
  
"I used to have powers, too." Tori said.  
  
"What happened to them?" Lynn asked.  
  
"I gave them to Yue to protect Sakura because, at the time, she wasn't strong enough for him to take his power from."  
  
"I'm strong enough now."  
  
"You sure are, squirt."  
  
Sakura smiled at her brother.  
  
"What about Julien now? What will happen to him?"  
  
"Hopefully nothing will happen to him. Hopefully I can help Yue before anything worse happens."  
  
"I hope you can help him, too, Sakura. I love Julien very much. He's like a brother to me. He's protected me since we were little kids, even when we weren't around each other." Lynn smiled and closed her eyes. "Please be all right, Julien."  
  
"Lynn…?"  
  
"Julien! You're awake!"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You fainted and were asleep all day." Tori said.  
  
"Tori?"  
  
"I know something is wrong with Yue, Julien." Sakura said.  
  
"Sakura? Well, it's just a regular party over here, isn't it?"  
  
"Do you know what's wrong with him, Julien?"  
  
"Let me try to get him." Julien closed his eyes. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?" Tori asked.  
  
"I can't get him. I can't find him. I know he's there, but I can't seem to find him."  
  
"Yue, please come here! I need you."  
  
Julien closed his eyes once again and wings appeared, wrapping him. When the wings unfolded, Yue appeared.  
  
"Please help me, Sakura. I do not know what is wrong with me. I need your power to help me. I cannot stay for much longer. Find a way to help me, Sakura."  
  
"I will, Yue. I promise."  
  
Yue became Julien once again. "He said to thank you, Sakura."  
  
"Whoa…Julien?"  
  
"Yes, Lynn…"  
  
Lynn fainted. Tori caught her.  
  
"She's had a tough day. I think she needs to rest now." Tori said. "I'll take her to her room."  
  
Tori took Lynn to her room and put her into bed. "It's okay, Lynn. I know this is a lot for you to handle right now, but it will make more sense to you later on. Just rest now." Tori left the room to let her sleep. Lynn was going to have to get lots of sleep. She was going to need the strength for what was to come. 


End file.
